


Prosthesis

by raptor_moon



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Kid Tony Stark, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-05-15 04:33:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14783654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raptor_moon/pseuds/raptor_moon
Summary: The inspiration for Tony Stark's prosthetic designs goes back to his childhood and Daniel Sousa's artificial leg.





	Prosthesis

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Quo Vadis?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3804475) by [Paeonia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paeonia/pseuds/Paeonia). 



> Written in honor of Memorial Day and Tony Stark's birthday. 
> 
> Inspired by Paeonia's wonderfully detailed backstory of how Daniel Sousa (from Marvel's Agent Carter) lost his leg and came to work for the SSR.

Tony stood on the stage set up at the VA Hospital. Stark Industries was holding a gala to raise money for veterans. Rhodey had suggested it. Well, actually he had said, “For the last time, you are not responsible me getting hurt! But if you must do something, hold one of your fundraisers for those vets who can’t afford any help.” So here he was schmoozing and getting ready to make an announcement to the press. 

“While the body armor SI designed for the military has greatly reduced the number of deaths for our servicemen, we have unfortunately seen an increase in the number of amputations. So today I am proud to announce that we are opening a new branch at SI to focus on robotic prosthetic limbs.”

Tony pointed to a reporter in the front row for questions.

“Was this inspired by the braces you designed for Colonel Rhodes or the work you did with Princess Shuri of Wakanda redesigning Sergeant Barnes arm?”

“Actually,” Tony stilled at the memory and the reporters became quiet, realizing a revelation might be forthcoming. “The original inspiration was Lieutenant Daniel Sousa, Uncle Daniel to me. In an interview, Margaret Carter, better known to most of the world as ‘Cap’s best girl’ admitted that her future husband was saved during Roger’s actions in WWII. While attempting to blow up a bridge to stop the advance of a German tank division, Lieutenant Sousa was injured and lost his leg, an above the knee amputation. After the war he was picked up by the Strategic Scientific Reserve. It was there that he met Peggy Carter and he later became chief of the California branch. Of course to me they were just my godmother and her husband, Aunt Peggy and Uncle Daniel.”

~*~*~

Tony felt his mind wander back to that fateful visit. Uncle Daniel had needed to visit the VA hospital to deal with a broken ankle joint on his prosthesis. They came in the day   
before to visit, as Howard still maintained a suite of rooms at his mansion for Peggy after all the years. Tony had just turned three and they had brought him a belated birthday present of a Crayola Big Box of crayons and large package of drawing and construction paper. Howard raged against the idea of presents in general, and anything like toys in particular. Even something creative was seen as a childish waste of time. Peggy had glared him down, “Howard, Tony is a three year old child, and he is certainly allowed childish pursuits!”

Howard had relented and Tony now had several drawings strewn across the rosewood coffee table, gifts for Aunt Peggy and Uncle Daniel, Edwin and Ana Jarvis. He figured Howard would toss the gift as soon as they left, unless Jarvis could hide them, so Tony planned to put them to good use.

Daniel had doffed the prosthetic leg as the broken ankle was causing an awkward gait that had irritated his stump. He had dozed off on the couch, tired from the extra exertion, so he failed to notice curious eyes scanning the prosthetic with precision. Finally, Tony couldn’t resist anymore and he quickly retrieved his toolset from his workbench in the lab, the only place in the lab he was allowed (and often was expected) to be. He soon had the leg disassembled on the coffee table and was examining the broken ankle joint. He could fix this easily, but he could also make it better. He began sketching his designs, taping several pieces of blue construction paper together to a large sheet and sharpening the white crayon. Within minutes he had a blueprint for his improved ankle joint that looked almost as good as Daddy’s designs did. He had just finished putting his initials to his work when Aunt Peggy walked in. “Oh Anthony, what have you done.”

“I’m sorry, Aunt Peggy.” He whispered fighting back tears. He knew he should have asked first. He stood up straight to await his punishment, knowing Howard would be displeased. He should have done the repair first, and then worked on the design for the improved ankle joint. 

”Tony, you know you shouldn’t have touched that,” Peggy scolded gently, “Why did you take it apart?”

Daniel had awoken to the sound of Peggy’s voice. He opened his eyes to see the child before him starting to panic. Tony’s breathing was speeding up as he stood frozen except for his eyes glancing to the door at the sound of footsteps.

“Master Tony, you need to clean up, it is almost time for dinner.” Jarvis announced as he entered the room and stopped as he observed the scene. He knelt suddenly next to Tony. He grasped the boy by the shoulders and asked, “Can you fix this, quickly? Your father received a phone call from Washington…” Tony nodded and moved to grab his screwdriver; he didn’t need to be told twice. If he worked quickly and Jarvis convinced Aunt Peggy not to say anything to his dad, he might escape Howard’s anger. 

Tony quickly reassembled the leg, replacing the missing screw on the ankle joint with a spare he had in his toolkit. “I’ve done a temporary fix, but I don’t have the right length screw so it sticks out a bit. Be careful Uncle Daniel.” Tony handed the leg over and began picking up his crayons and unused paper.

Edwin Jarvis turned to Peggy and Daniel Sousa, sensing the unspoken inquiry, “Mr. Stark has been under pressure with some government contracts of late, and in his frustration has sometimes been...less than patient with young sir…” Jarvis sighed.

“Tony?” Daniel asked speaking quietly and keeping his voice calm and low, “Why did you take it apart?”

“I knew I could fix it,” Tony stated confidently, holding the screwdriver in his stubby toddler fingers like it was an extension of his hand, “and you shouldn’t have to walk around on a broken leg if I can fix it.”

“That’s great Tony,” Daniel continued the process of donning the prosthetic, watching what he was doing even though he could do it with his eyes closed so Tony wouldn’t feel pressured, as Daniel felt there was more to the story so he asked again? “But why did it need to be taken apart to fix it?”

“I wanted to improve it, but I needed to see how it was supposed to work first. I knowed I should have put it back together right away, but I wanted to get my design down first.” Tony hung his head, “Daddy says I’m too d…dis…distractable to do any real work yet. And I shoulda asked you first, but you were sleepin, and I’m not supposed to wake grown-ups unless somethins on fire.” Tony was getting worked up again, as his speech patterns slipped into what you would normally expect for a young child. 

Peggy knelt behind him and caught him in a hug. “And did you figure out how to improve it my little genius?” She ruffled his hair.

“Yes, I even made a blueprint!” He reached over to grab the large paper off the coffee table. “I can’t build it myself yet, ‘cause I’m not big enough to use all the tools yet, so I draw up the designs so someone else can make them.” 

Tony held up his drawing to his Uncle Daniel. On blue construction paper in white crayon was a beautifully detailed model of his prosthesis with a very different ankle joint design. 

“This looks really good, Tony” The child absolutely beamed at the praise. “Do you mind if I show it to the guys at the VA hospital when I go in to my appointment tomorrow?”

“Sure,” Tony rolled up the blueprint and handed it back to Daniel with great dignity, “If it can help you and others walk better, then I want you to have it, to help people.”

Jarvis smiled. “Go get washed up for dinner, young sir.” Tony turned at the directive, gave his godmother a quick hug and dashed out of the room. “Walk, Master Tony!” Jarvis sighed as the hurried pace of the departing footsteps slowed only slightly.

~*~*~

The trip to the VA the next day proved interesting. The temporary fix was praised by the doctors and technicians who saw it. So he decided to bring out the blueprints. 

“So what would you say if I had some improvements to the design of the ankle joint of the leg?” Daniel got the expected looks of disbelief, after all he was not that kind of an engineer. But he knew one. 

“Ok, so what if I reminded you that I am married to Peggy Carter who is friends with Howard Stark and he drew up some improvements.”

At that they were eager to see the designs until he pulled out the crayon and construction paper “blueprints” Tony had made. 

“Ok, so what if I said a brilliant but inebriated Howard Stark quickly sketched up the design with his son’s crayons.”

At that they were eagerly dissecting the design. Within minutes they agreed the improvements were inspired. “Drunken engineering shouldn’t work, but this is amazing,” their design engineer sighed, “I would love to put these into production immediately, but we could never afford a Stark design.”

“Well, the Stark that designed it gifted me the design, but it wasn’t actually Howard.” They turned to stare at him. “Would you believe the repair and the design were done by his three year old son Anthony?”

“Stark’s kid is a genius too? I can believe it.” The doctor commented, “I feel sorry for him though. I remember the way the press hounded the family for a picture when the child was born. Once he starts achieving things for himself, the press will never leave him alone.”

Daniel paused. He realized how true that would be. He also thought about Howard. Obsessed with finding Steve Rogers, he had though the annual expeditions would cease when Tony was born, but the man had missed months out of the child’s life each year searching for a dead man. How would he handle Tony taking the spotlight, because sure as the Captain’s shield was round, Daniel was certain that Tony would achieve great things and change the world, even more than his father had. Keeping Tony out of the limelight until he was older seemed like a good idea. Daniel made a decision.

“That’s why we want to keep it quiet. Keep the boy off the press’ radar for as long as possible. He just wants to help others walk, so any profits from the patent should go into helping defray the cost.”

The doctor and the technician nodded in agreement and set off to implement the design.

Daniel sighed when only a year and a half later, a four year old Anthony Edward Stark made a circuit board and was forever thrust into the limelight.

~*~*~ 

Tony shook his head free of the memories, remembering that he was still in front of an audience.

“I always wondered what Uncle Daniel did with that sketch. Anyway, so I feel like I am finally fulfilling a promise to Daniel Sousa to help amputees walk, so he was the inspiration for SI’s new prosthetic line.”

He entertained a few last questions. As he prepared to exit the stage, a man came up to the side, speaking to security. He had a large picture frame. Nothing had been cleared beforehand, so he was wary as the man was allowed onstage and stepped up to the microphone.

“Hello, I’m Dr. Richard Lei, current head of the prosthetic design workshop at this hospital. This drawing has hung on the wall of the prosthetic design division’s offices as long as I can remember. I always wondered why a detailed blueprint of a prosthetic leg was rendered in crayon and who AES was. I think this drawing belongs to you.”


End file.
